LEFKOSA, Jan 15 (A.A) - President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Greek Cypriot administration leader Glafcos Clerides will begin direct talks on Wednesday.
The talks which will start at 10.00 a.m. on Wednesday aim to reach a lasting agreement on Cyprus.
Two sides want to continue direct meetings till a result is gained.
Four people from each Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot sides will participate in the direct talks while United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General's Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro De Soto will attend the talks as an observer. De Soto and a delegation of jurists are currently on the island.
During this new process which was initiated by President Denktas and continued with the exchange of letters, Denktas and Clerides decided to begin direct talks at their meeting on December 4, 2001 which was held after a four years of interval.
The two leaders who reached a consensus on holding the talks without any pre-condition and bringing all matters to the negotiating table, also reached a compromise that there won't be any agreement on any matter until they reach consensus on all matters.
Denktas and Clerides agreed to continue the negotiations with good will until an integrated agreement is reached on the Cyprus issue.
Talks will be held at a building which was prepared especially for this process at the Lefkosa International Airport in the buffer zone under control of the United Nations.
U.N. Secretary General's Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro De Soto who will attend talks as an observer separately met with Denktas and Clerides on Monday on the procedure of direct talks.